Daily "Recent Prince George's County News" updates were suspended in early March 2016. They were compiled primarily from retweets of news headlines. Those retweets continue, but in unformatted and unarchived form at PG-Politics-Briefs. To follow such headlines on a current basis, follow @pgpolitics on Twitter.
Showing posts with label Marilynn Bland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marilynn Bland. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Recent Prince George's County News (2 Mar 2011)

Public Safety
2011 Maryland General Assembly
Government & Politics
Education
  • thedbk DBK WEDNESDAY | 7 members of Zeta Phi Beta sorority face assault charges stemming from October incident http://bit.ly/gNaYH2 
    • Post: PG police have charged 7 Univ of Maryland, College Park, sorority sisters with assaulting & hazing a pledge http://is.gd/wwURvF .
  • PGD9Politico: Deadline for PGCPS employees to apply for retirement incentive is Mar. 30, details here: http://youtu.be/WRij2JulbEU 
  • PGPublicEd Fwd: Prince George’s Delegation Update-Education Special Edition: The following is from Del. Griffith... http://yhoo.it/h5eUrv.
Business, Transportation & Development
Local (Municipalities)
  • Berwyn Heights:
    • Berwyn Heights PD: BURGLARY AT 6000 BLK. OF QUEBEC ST. BERWYN HEIGHTS, MD http://is.gd/dPB5JD
  • College Park:
    • CollegePrkPatch This evening we'll be reporting live from the county admin. building in Upper Marlboro, where the BOA will discuss the Comfort Zone. (See full report below the jump)
  • Laurel:
Other
CollegePrkPatch This evening we'll be reporting live from the county admin. building in Upper Marlboro, where the BOA will discuss the Comfort Zone.
Read more »
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Monday, December 06, 2010

On the path to greatness ... in extortion?

Ingrid Turner, defendant in a civil extortion case, is apparently about to be elected council chair, with the deciding vote expected to be cast by

Leslie Johnson, recently arrested in a criminal case involving extortion and witness and evidence tampering,  who was sworn in by

Marilynn Bland, another defendant in the civil  extortion case, who is also awaiting trial for assault. 

Judging by news reports and the audience at Rushern Baker's December 6 inauguration ceremonies, most of our leaders are either comfortable with this "path to greatness" or unwilling to speak out against it.
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Monday, November 29, 2010

Recent Prince George's County News (29 Nov 2010)

Public Safety
Government & Politics
Education
  • Post: My principal, at Largo High School, is unbiased and supportive (Letter from Robert Kidd) http://is.gd/hWUG8 
  • Post: Incoming county executive supports longer school days for younger Prince George's County students http://is.gd/hYjqP 
Business, Transportation & Development
Local (Municipalities)
  • Bowie:
  • Riverdale Park:
    • RT @RiverdalePatch The Riverdale Park Police Dept is making so much money off the speed cameras that they can fund a new officer's salary. 
Other
  • WaterOnline: Bi-County Water Tunnel Reaches Milestone; WSSC Tunnel Boring Machine "Holes Through" at Stoneybrook http://is.gd/hWUrB 
  • RT @TSAgov: Between now and Christmas, the #TSA will be collecting Toys From Tots. #tsagov 
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Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Pay to play in Prince George's; Post editorial suggests PG officials solicited bribes; wants prosecutors to review

Pay to play in Prince George's.
Post, 4 May 2010 (Editorial).

Summary: References recently reported lawsuit against council member and county executive candidate Tony Knotts (D-8) and others, including council members Camille Exum (D-7) and Marilynn Bland (D-9), who is also a candidate for clerk of the circuit court.

Defense statements:
  • "A politician's request for campaign fundraising assistance or donations in exchange for a political favor is . . . not unlawful or independently wrongful,"
  • trading donations for political favor "is something that occurs daily in the political arena."
Post's conclusion:
Actually, it is wrong, and illegal, for politicians to solicit bribes, which is what some of these allegations suggest happened. It's worth noting that most of the major players in this drama -- Mr. Johnson; Mr. Arrington; Ms. Exum; and Ms. Bland -- have shown questionable ethical judgment in the past. That, and the gravity of Mr. Luthra's allegations, should be enough to merit the scrutiny of the U.S. attorney in Maryland, Rod J. Rosenstein; the Maryland state prosecutor, Robert A. Rohrbaugh; and the Prince George's County Attorney, Glenn F. Ivey.
Full editorial
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Saturday, May 01, 2010

Post: Lawyer says political favors 'not unlawful' - Suit re county office space says Tony Knotts shook down developer

Lawyer in Md. suit says political favors 'not unlawful'.
Post, 1 May 2010 (Wiggins).
Summary:

County Council member (and reported county executive candidate) Tony Knotts (D-8) is a defendant in a lawsuit (civil, not criminal case) over a lease for county office space that alleges Knotts shook down the offices' developer. In the end, the county never considered the lease.

Knotts' defense is little more than a claim that everyone does it. Law school professors suggest that the allegations meet the definition of bribery in the state code.

The lawsuit also makes a number of allegations about Jack Johnson, council members Camille Exum (D-7); Marilynn M. Bland (D-9); Ingrid Turner (D-4), and several individuals not named in the report.

The report contains the definition of bribery from the state code and a description of Knotts' alledged request for campaign funds.

[Full report (long)]
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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Recent Prince George's County News (22 Apr 2010)

Public Safety
2010 Election
2010 General Assembly
  • Gazette: Gangs' bill won't keep communities safe (Letter from C. Boersma, ACLU MD, & T. Velazquez, Just Pol Inst, DC) http://bit.ly/bQZZUR 
  • Gazette: Thumbs up, down on 2010 session; Among positives: gang legislation; negatives: Dwyer (Editorial) http://bit.ly/8Zk3yb 
  • Gazette: Overhaul of state winery laws passes; O'Malley expected to sign measure to permit wineries to operate in co... http://bit.ly/9XxoCg.
Other Politics
  • WTOP: Maryland's Board of Elections is asking the state prosecutor to investigate Sen. Currie's (D-25) campaign fund http://bit.ly/abLECB 
  • CroomStationSignal: Obama's Two-Class America: In 2010, half of Americans will pay federal income taxes and half won’t http://bit.ly/dmClSf
  • rt @wusa9 Tanning Bed Tax Worries Beleaguered Industry http://bit.ly/9bQETU 
  • rt @marylandBNN Hedgehog Report: MD: Ehrlich Within 3% Of O’Malley: Scott Rasmussen releases his latest poll for my... http://bit.ly/bglWXB 
Education
Other
  • rt @DCAbloob Mediaite: new Washington Post blogger opinion feature excludes Prince George's County, outer VA suburbs - http://bit.ly/b3U8xt 
  • Gazette: Leaders unveil restoration plan, pledge coordinated effort from all levels of gov. to clean up Anacostia ... http://bit.ly/cNzVYC
  • Gazette: Laurel residents seek end of double taxation; Owners of properties recently annexed paying both city & county http://bit.ly/cMmNqu 
Recent candidate filing
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Thursday, February 25, 2010

PG delegates reject proposal by Sen. Muse to prevent community college board members from running for office

Delegates reject proposal for election restrictions; Subcommittee votes against keeping college board members from seeking office.
Gazette, 25 Feb 2010 (Valentine).
(see comment below)
Six Prince George's County delegates voted Feb. 18 to block a controversial proposal by state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington that would further restrict who can seek elected office in Prince George's County.

The unanimous vote made by the county delegation's subcommittee could hinder passage of the proposed legislation, which would bar members of the Prince George's Community College Board of Trustees from running for an elected office while serving on the board.

The proposal sparked questions about interference by state leaders in county politics and raised questions about whether Muse was targeting critics of county leaders, such as Jerry Mathis, a Fort Washington resident who serves on the board and is running for the District 8 seat on the County Council. Mathis helped organize opposition to Muse's proposal last year to consider building a professional soccer stadium for D.C. United in the county, and Mathis has participated in several demonstrations against the County Council.

Mel Franklin, an Upper Marlboro resident who is also on the college's board and running for County Council in District 9, would also be hindered by the legislation. Franklin helped organize a demonstration against the County Council last year over new zoning regulations in the southern part of the county.

Del. Barbara Frush (D-Dist. 21) of Beltsville called the proposal "a silly bill."

"I don't believe it's up to us to determine who can run and who can't run," she said. "I don't really understand the premise of this bill."

Before the subcommittee's vote, the proposal received support from three County Council members.

"We know what it's about," said Councilman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) after voting in favor of the bill Tuesday, along with Councilwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton and Councilman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel.

"I always like to support my senator," Dean said.

The three council members did not respond to a request for further comment.

Muse did not attend the subcommittee meeting and did not directly respond to requests for comment.

In a message relayed through his secretary, Muse said the bill is not killed until after the full House delegation votes it down. However, subcommittee members said the delegation is unlikely to reverse its unfavorable report.

"We need to be fair to other groups," said Del. Carolyn J.B. Howard (D-Dist. 24) of Mitchellville. "Let them have their rights."

Muse first proposed the bill in December. Under the proposal, sitting board members would not be allowed to hold positions on political committees, raise money for candidates or seek office.

Mathis and Franklin could not be reached for comment after the subcommittee's vote, but Mathis has said the legislation is targeted at him.

"This is just vindictiveness against me," he said last month.

Muse previously denied the bill targeted anyone.

"None of my bills are for political retribution," Muse said last month, explaining that he wanted lawmakers to consider imposing the restriction for the college's board at the same time a similar restriction imposed on the school board is being considered for removal.

A different bill is moving through the General Assembly to lift a ban on sitting school board members that prevents them from seeking other elected offices. School board members are asking the legislature to lift the ban in time for this fall's election.

"That would be consistent with [the subcommittee's] actions today," said Len Lucchi, lobbyist for the school board.
Comment: While I am not surprised by the anti-Democratic attitude of Sen. Muse (cand. for county executive), and council members Bland and Dean (cand. for county executive), I was very disappointed by Dernoga's (cand. for state's attorney) vote and apparent unwillingness to explain it.  And Muse is NOT Dean's senator.
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Thursday, May 28, 2009

2010 Candidates: Mel Franklin, Tamara Davis Brown to run for County Council from District 9

Two attorneys plan run for council seat; nbsp;Marlton; Clinton residents to compete for District 9 in 2010
Gazette, 28 May 2009 (McKeever ).
Marlton resident Mel Franklin, an assistant attorney general for the state of Maryland, and Tamara Davis Brown, a Clinton community activist and lawyer, will both run for the Prince George's County Council's District 9 seat in 2010. . . Both Franklin and Brown announced their candidacy May 14 at a Brandywine Neighborhood Coalition meeting. . . . Both candidates have been active in local politics. Brown is president of both the Windbrook Area Citizens Association and the Surratts-Clinton Democratic Club, and Franklin founded the Greater Marlboro Democratic Club in 2005. . . .
[Full story]
Note: I remain willing to post and forward information from candidates planning to run for county and state offices in 2010, as I did in 2006.  Information in plain text or simple HTML format is preferred.
(Posted 28 May 2009)
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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

If you complain about crime, but publicly support criminals, what do you suppose our kids think?

Prince George's County has a crime problem--just read the archives of these discussion groups.
But while many individual who post here complain about crime, many, including some of the same people, post messages praising criminal behavior by our elected officials.
Donna Edwards, Nat Exum, Ulysses Currie,  David Harrington, Marilynn Bland, Camille Exum, house majority leader Barve--all accused of or investigated for criminal behavior, and all supported by people here.
What are our children supposed to believe about what's right and what's wrong  when the adults keep praising people who break the law.  
Do we really want to keep reinforcing the message that it is acceptable, even good, to pick and choose which laws to obey and which to disobey?  That it is good to disobey the law if you disagree with it or think breaking the law supports some noble purpose?
How do we expect our children, especially the ones tempted by gang promises to right perceived wrongs, to obey the law when we allow our leaders--the ones who should be setting an example--to ignore the very laws they pass?
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Wednesday, April 01, 2009

POST: Lawmaker: No Council Vote, No D.C. United Bill

(Helderman) http://snipurl.com/f0va9
Maryland Moment
The chairman of the key committee considering the D.C. United stadium study bill said today that the Prince George's County Council's failure to take a final position on the item yesterday "jeopardizes the fate of the bill for this session."
Chairman of House Appropriations Norman H. Conway (D-Wicomico) noted that Council Chairwoman Marilynn Bland had indicated to him over the weekend that the council would take up issue. A majority of the council voted preliminarily last week to oppose the bill but Bland had told Conway she was hopeful the council would change its position.
But Bland recessed a meeting yesterday without holding the vote (read more in Ovetta Wiggins' item below.) Without that vote, Conway said he will not move forward with the bill. Though the bill got initial support from his committee on Monday, its staff had discovered an amendment to the bill made it unconstitutional so the committee must vote anew before it can proceed.
"We do not have a letter from the County Council," Conway said. "At this point, the bill will not go anywhere."
Bill sponsor Del. Melony G. Griffith (D-Prince George's) said she still hopes the council will take up the issue in coming days. She said she hopes citizens will convince the council they want to let the state fund a study to see if the stadium could bring economic development to the county.
"They say in the legislature, a day is like 1,000 years and 1,000 years is like a day," she said. "If that letter comes on the final day of the session, I will works as hard as I can to make sure Prince George's gets this information."
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

GAZETTE: Bland avoids vote on soccer stadium

(Valentine) http://tinyurl.com/caen9q

Comment:  I strongly criticized the council for electing Ms. Bland as chair (9 Dec 2008) and vice chair (5 Dec 2007).  Some council members were offended by my criticism.  If her antics embarrass the county, the council members who voted for her and the people who elected them have nobody to blame but themselves.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03312009/prinnew171849_32480.shtml

Bland avoids vote on soccer stadium; More than a dozen residents outraged after 10-minute meeting without vote
Gazette, 31 Mar 2009 (Valentine).

Prince George's County Council members were unable to vote on legislation to study the impact of building a new 24,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium in Landover for the D.C. United team after Council Chairwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist.9) of Clinton refused to call a vote Tuesday and called a recess before residents had a chance to speak.

Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton adjourned the meeting about 10 minutes after it started.
* * *
More than a dozen residents who had signed up to speak against the stadium were left without a chance to speak to the council when the brief meeting ended.

"This is ridiculous," yelled Ruth Wright, a community activist who said she was disgusted by Bland's departure. "If we're going to sit here and be treated like this, they have lost their mind."

Other residents expressed disbelief at Bland's departure.

"Why would she not have the courtesy to say, 'I know why you're here?'" asked Elizabeth Rivera of Fort Washington. "Her behavior today is really unacceptable. To get up and walk out while we're all sitting here? It's just rude."

Joseph Kitchen of Landover said the abrupt end to the meeting raises concerns about county leaders.

"Dirty tricks like this make me know something here isn't right," he said.
* * *
The meeting does little to help the county's reputation in the state, noted Mitchellville resident Brian Austin.

"I'm embarrassed for my county," he said.
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Recent News about Prince George's County (25 Feb 2009)

(Posted 25 Feb 2009)
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Plan to Break Up Hospitals Alarms Council Members

Plan to Break Up Hospitals Alarms Council Members.
Post, 25 Feb 2009 (Wiggins ).
The Prince George's County Council yesterday criticized a plan that would allow a panel responsible for the sale of the county's troubled hospital system to sell pieces of it to various buyers.

After a briefing by members of the Prince George's County Hospital Authority about proposed state legislation, council member Samuel H. Dean (D-Mitchellville) argued that the plan violates an agreement the county made when it pledged, along with the state, to pay $174 million over five years to the winning bidder.

Council Chairwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Clinton) worried that the system's more competitive hospitals in Bowie and Laurel would be sold and the less-stable Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, the state's second-busiest trauma hospital, would be left without a buyer.
* * *
Council member Camille Exum (D-Seat Pleasant) asked why the council was not consulted on the proposal. [More]
(Posted 25 Feb 2009)
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

County Council criticizes hospital deal changes

County Council criticizes hospital deal changes, Possible delay, rising costs prompt threats of opposition to sale of three hospitals.
Gazette, 24 Feb 2009 (Valentine).
Prince George's County Council members threatened Tuesday to oppose a proposal to sell the county's three ailing public hospitals individually and said a proposal to delay the sale would cost the county more to keep the centers operating.

"Deep down, I don't feel the optimism at this point," Council Chairwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton told officials with the Prince George's Hospital Authority, a committee appointed to oversee the sale of the hospital system.

Officials for County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) declined to comment about the hospital deal status.
* * *
"I don't see myself supportive of anything you do," Councilman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel said about the Hospital Authority. "I think the county has already bitten off more than it can chew."
* * *
"Where did this come from? Who drafted it?" asked Councilwoman Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) of Capitol Heights, holding up a copy of the bill. "It seems like there are a lot of things in here that are not in our best interest."
* * *
"Is this pie in the sky, something we're just throwing out there? Or is this something with a good shot of coming through?" asked Councilman Eric C. Olson (D-Dist. 3) of College Park.

Bland hinted that the council might actively oppose the authority in the General Assembly. [More]
Earlier
(Posted 24 Feb 2009)
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Friday, February 13, 2009

Reports from County Budget (tax increase) Forum

To: PG-Politics@yahoogroups.com

From: Observer
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:04:50 -0500
Subject: [PG-Politics] Busted Budget Forum Bursts at Seams

Hundreds and hundreds of irascible voters choked the auditorium at PG Community College last night. About halfway through the four-hour fusillade of citizen complaints, Junket Jack remarked that he had "never seen turnout like this for a meeting before [emphasis his]." What's more, I've never seen a gathering where the County Executive acknowledged and announced the (few) other politicians in the room, only to have them shrink into the crowd about as fast as they possibly could. Seems they weren't to eager to be associated with Johnson or his budget proposal. Certainly, none joined him on the stage.  It's clear that a whole lot of taxpayers are hopping mad about the TRIM bypass and the accelerated property tax hike (myself included).

I truly fear for the County's Annapolis delegation.  Please pardon my French, but there is a political sh*tstorm headed their way.

---Andy Carruthers
To: PG-Politics@yahoogroups.com
From: "Judy Robinson"
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:09:00 -0000
Subject: [PG-Politics] Re: Busted Budget Forum Bursts at Seams

I testified last night and brought a visual showing the growth of
county government. In 2003, operating budget was $1.7 billion / In
2009, operating budget was $2.6 billion. Jack Johnson and Marilyn
Bland, who refused to answer my question regarding the council's new
cars, were almost booed out of the hall. Jack dithered and kept
talking endlessly - People are angry, and I encouraged them to let the
state legislators know their feelings. 
(Posted 13 Feb 2009)
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Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Five PG council members show their contempt for the voters and the county charter

Following the lead of Jack Johnson and betraying the voters who elected them, five members of the county council have shown their contempt for the voters by supporting tax increases prohibited by the county charter.

The will of the people, and the rule of law apparently means nothing to these five tax-hungry despots (all Democrats). They knew the provisions of the county charter and the legal options for raising taxes when they ran for office, and when they took thair oaths of office.

But, being unrwilling to abide by the law, and live up to the trust of the voters, they have now appealed to a higher authority to permit them to steal money from us in a manner not allowed under county law.

Who are these five betrayers?

Council chair, Marilynn Bland (D-9).
Bland has a history of playing with taxpayers money--she used it to pay for a family vacation back when she was a member of the school board.
Tel: (301) 952-3820
Fax: (301) 952-5275
mmbland@co.pg.md.us

Samuel H. Dean (D-6).
Phone: (301) 952-3426
Fax: (301) 301-952.4351
TTY: (301) 925-5167
SHDean@co.pg.md.us

Camille Exum (D-7).
 Exum used a county credit card improperly for personal expenses during her current term.
Phone: (301) 952-3690
CAExum@co.pg.md.us

Andrea Harrison (D-5).
Harrison is the newest member of the council.
Phone: (301) 952-3864
Fax: (301) 952-5885
councildistrict5@co.pg.md.us

Ingrid Turner (D-4). Another new member of the council.
Phone:(301) 952-3094
Fax: (301) 952-4910
Email: IMTurner@co.pg.md.us 





Council Votes to Pursue Property Tax Increase.
Post, 11 Feb 2009 (Wiggins).
(Posted 11 Feb 2009)
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Friday, February 06, 2009

Update: Jack Johnson's contempt for the voters and county charter

Comment: Although the media have reported on Jack Johnson's continuing attempts to raise taxes, reporting on spending issues has been weak.

Most reporting seems to be based on what Johnson says, or on the reactions of a relatively limited group of people.

Virtually every news report about county's fiscal situation begins by uncritically quoting Jack Johnson. I have yet to read a report that discusses or examines the accuracy of Johnson's extreme claims that without higher taxes he "would have to devastate our government," . . . "We just don't have the money to operate our government.".

We have seen a few reports on Johnson's junkets to Africa, on contracts for his cronies, and on large payouts to the victims of police misconduct, but no independent in-depth reporting that looks critically at all county spending, connects all the dots, explains how Johnson got the county into this mess, or explores all the options available for dealing with the problem.

Johnson Pushing Property Tax Bump;Executive Warns of Layoffs.
Post, 6 Feb 2009 (Wiggins ).
Desperate to raise money for basic county services, Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson is asking state lawmakers to approve a bill that would raise the size of annual property tax increases.
* * *
The County Council has not taken a position on the proposals, according to Chairman Marilynn Bland (D-Clinton).

Thirty years ago, voters in Prince George's created some of the country's strictest barriers to tax increases by imposing a cap on property taxes and placing a requirement in the county charter that tax increases must be approved by voters.

Judy Robinson, a supporter of property tax caps, said Johnson is trying to circumvent the charter by proposing changes to the homestead tax credit.
* * *
Prince George's House Delegation Chairwoman Melony G. Griffith (D) said she introduced the legislation as a courtesy to Johnson. She said her sponsorship does not imply that she supports the bill.
* * *
Last year, Johnson tried to raise the local telephone tax from 8 percent to 11 percent of monthly bills to generate $17 million a year for schools. The tax would have cost residents as much as an additional $1.50 per bill, according to county officials. In November, voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea in a referendum.

"Doesn't that tell you how willing people are to have new taxes?" Robinson asked
Recently:
(Posted 6 Feb 2009)
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Thursday, February 05, 2009

Johnson makes plea to delegates to raise property tax

Johnson makes plea to delegates to raise property tax; Council has not taken a position; delegates voice concerns.
Gazette, 5 Feb 2009 (Valentine).
In his first public speech on a tax increase, Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) told a panel of 17 state delegates Wednesday that raising taxes will be the only way to avoid laying off county police and teachers and prevent making deep budget cuts this summer.
* * *
Johnson was alone in asking for the increase on Wednesday. Delegates questioned the proposal for two hours without voting, noting that even County Council members would not speak in its favor.

"This legislation is new to us. It just came out," said Council Chairwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton, who sat beside Johnson as he made the proposal, along with council members Samuel Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville and Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) of Capitol Heights.
* * *
The prospect of raising taxes is already creating a political nightmare for delegates and county lawmakers, who have been fielding angry e-mails and calls since the proposal was reported by The Gazette earlier this week. Johnson is in his last two years as executive due to term limits, but several County Council members, delegates and senators all face a potential run for office in November 2010.

Some legislators have called the proposal "political suicide."
* * *
"We could be doing some real heavy lifting, only to have our limbs cut off," said Del. Marvin E. Holmes Jr. (D-Dist. 23B) of Kettering.

"We'll take it to the floor for you — if we have to," Del Gerron S. Levi (D-Dist. 23A) of Bowie told council members after the meeting. "But we don't know if we're there yet."
* * *
"You're asking us to override the local government," said Del. Anne Healey (D-Dist. 22) of Hyattsville. "This homestead tax was set by referendum years ago."
[More]
(Posted 5 Feb 2009)
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Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Unanimous council picks another corrupt leader

(Posted 9 Dec 2008)
Comment:  Marilynn Bland's unanimous election, following in the footsteps of Camille Exum and David Harrington who also used county money for their own personal gain, shows once again how our elected leaders--all Democrats--are either corrupt or tolerate corruption on the part of their colleagues.

Unanimous vote puts Bland as head of County Council; Lawmaker elected despite controversial history.
Gazette, 4 Dec 2008 (Valentine).
Prince George's County Councilwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton assumed the leadership of the County Council on Tuesday, after a unanimous vote from her peers.

Bland, who has represented much of the southern and rural portions of the county since 2002, will lead the legislative branch through the end of 2009. Members also selected Councilman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel as vice chairman and named leaders of the council's legislative committees.

Bland served as vice chairwoman to Chairman Samuel Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville for the past year. Of the five members who took office in 2002, Bland is the last to assume the leadership post. Term limits prevent Bland and other members in their second term from returning to the council after their term ends in 2010.

"I'm a firm believer that God has a plan in each of our lives," said Bland, who called for greater participation and collaboration to change the county, citing the recent election of President-Elect Barack Obama.

"This change is not about any one person," she said. "This change is a movement that encompasses civic participation, accountability and forward thinking. This change is going to require all of us to roll up our sleeves and simply do the work."

She took over the gavel from Dean, who touted the group's economic development and fiscal decisions during the past "difficult" year, when the government has suffered millions in budget shortfalls.

"We continue to grapple with fiscal challenges of critical importance," Dean said in a farewell address to the crowd. "…Even in this economy, Prince George's is still growing."

Council chairpersons often serve as the de-facto spokesman for the group, lead negotiations with County Executive Jack B. Johnson and also wield influence on which bills and resolutions are up for a vote. The group leader often coordinates support for key measures.

Bland's new position comes as the county faces one of its most difficult budgets in decades. At a secret meeting last month, Johnson and staff members allegedly warned that hundreds of employee lay-offs could be possible and hinted to legislators that he may ask for broader state power in raising taxes.

A voter-imposed charter amendment has kept the county from raising tax rates without ballot approval.

The new chairwoman said it was too early to discuss potential tax changes until Johnson creates his draft budget.

"We have to entertain various options," she said, adding later, "I'm going to wait and see what he proposes."

Covering Clinton, Accokeek, Croom, Brandywine, Fort Washington and Andrews Air Force Base, Bland's district is the largest in the county.

Elected to the county school board in 1996, Bland's political career has been frequently marked by controversy.

Auditors cited Bland several times for questionable use of credit cards and expense accounts as a school board member. The charges included $2,000 spent on a 1998 trip to a conference in Florida in which she also took a six-day detour to visit family in Mississippi.

Bland also faced scrutiny for her decision to spend more than $7,700 in school board money on a newsletter to constituents that came out the same week she was up for re-election in the 2000 school board primary.

In 2001, she accused the state of racism for not adequately funding county schools.

"When you have a predominantly African-American school system, the money seems to disappear," she said at a November 2001 board meeting. "People seem to fund white students more than African-American ones."

Critics at the time accused Bland of unprofessional leadership and race-baiting.

"She does not have the personality to be vice chair [of the school board]," now-Del. Doyle Niemann (D-Dist. 47) of Mount Rainier said in 2001, when he served with Bland on the school board. "She is consistently rude, insulting and intolerant."

Niemann did not return calls for comment by press time.

After the General Assembly disbanded the elected school board in 2002 for infighting and concerns about spending, Bland ran and won the District 9 council seat and was re-elected in 2006.

Her two terms on the council have also been marked by questions about her performance. Constituents have frequently accused Bland of being nonresponsive, leading many to reach out to neighboring Councilman Tony Knotts (D-Dist. 8) of Temple Hills or Dernoga.

"Formerly, she's been extremely absent and hard to get a hold of," said Kelly Canavan, a member of the Accokeek Civic Association who called Bland's tenure "abysmal." "She's seemed unaware of her constituents' needs."

In 2005, Bland earned the distinction of having record high turnover among her office staff. From 2002 to 2005, more than a dozen people were terminated or resigned from her three-person office. Several former employees said they were terminated for "insubordination."

Last year, Bland faced scrutiny for a news release she sent out touting an honorary doctoral degree she received from Springfield Christian College and Theological Seminary, a non-accredited university where her chief of staff, David Billings, serves on the Board of Trustees.

The press release quoted a paper she had written to earn the degree, which appears to borrow heavily from a United Nations report on poverty. Bland and the college both declined to release copies of her dissertation.

At the same time, Bland has kept a rigid platform opposing development in the county's rural tier. She most recently co-sponsored a bill with Dernoga that would have made developers pay farmers to preserve land in exchange for credits toward construction in other communities, a concept known as transfer of development rights.

Council leadership traditionally shifts to the vice chairman in the next year. Bland, who was elected vice chair one month before, was bypassed last year after the sudden elevation of Chairman David Harrington to the state senate seat left by the death of former state Sen. Gwendolyn Britt (D-Dist 47). Dean was named chairman of the council a second time.

Dernoga said Bland's turn had come to lead.

"I think it's her year," Dernoga said. "Ms. Bland has waited in line and has done the things people expect of her. This is her opportunity."

Bland's recent actions on TDR and other issues like youth outreach are giving constituents hope.

"She has done so much recently," said Canavan, who said she hopes Bland will use her leadership role to push for agricultural preservation and work to improve south county elementary schools, which have been rated as being in the worst condition in the county.

"We're all looking for her to rise to the occasion," Canavan said.

State Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington said he believes Bland has the experience and temperament to lead.

"If being chairman means working with people and reaching compromise, she'll do a good job," Muse said. "She has a great deal of knowledge to share."

Bland worked as a legislative aide for the late Councilman Isaac J. Gourdine (D-Dist. 8) of Fort Washington during her time on the school board. Bland was riding in the car with Gourdine when he was killed in a 2002 car accident on the Beltway and remembered her former mentor as she took office Tuesday.

"[He] told me that dedication, hard work and laboring for the people would make this day possible," she said.

Government sources said that Bland's leadership vote was challenged in closed-door discussions this year by Knotts, who publicly voted for Bland with the rest of the council.

After she was elected by the group, Bland named Dean to chair the council's Planning Zoning and Economic Development Committee and Dernoga was appointed chair of the Transportation, Housing and Environment Committee. Council members Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) of Capitol Heights and Andrea Harrison (D-Dist 5) of Springdale were appointed to lead the Public Safety and Fiscal Management and Health and Human Service committees.

The first session of the Prince George's County Council is scheduled for Jan. 13.
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Wednesday, December 05, 2007

PG Council selects new ethically-challenged leaders

(Posted 5 Dec 2007)
The December 5 Washington Post reports: "The Prince George's County Council elected David Harrington (D-Cheverly) chairman yesterday . . . The council elected Marilynn Bland (D-Clinton) as its vice chairman."

Looking back at just a few of the many past news stories about these scoundrels:
  • Prince George's Taxpayers Pick Up Officials' Personal Tabs; Records Show Thousands of Dollars Charged to County-Issued Cards in Violation of Policy (Post, 20 Nov 2006)
    Prince George's County Council member David Harrington (D-Cheverly), needed a shirt for his pastor's funeral in 2003, so he bought one for $37.99 at a Temple Hills store called Uniforms & Lingerie Inc.

    When he wanted a haircut, he got one for $21 at Hair Designers Plus in Hyattsville. And when he decided he wanted to get in shape, he bought a gym membership for $300 at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex in Landover.

    Each time, taxpayers picked up the tab, according to county records.

    Harrington is one of several Prince George's officials, including County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D), who have used county-issued credit cards to pay for personal expenses totaling thousands of dollars, violating county policy.
  • Credit Card Use Probed By U.S., Sources Say (Post, 19 May 2007).
    Federal authorities have launched an investigation into the use by Prince George's officials of county-issued credit cards to charge personal expenses totaling thousands of dollars, according to a law enforcement official and another source with knowledge of the probe. . . . The expenses detailed in The Post's report included a $37.99 shirt and a $21 haircut bought by council member David Harrington (D-Cheverly). He also charged $1,200 for six-month gym memberships for himself and three staff members. . . .
  • What's Yours Is Mine; Especially if you live in Prince George's County -- and I am elected to serve you (Post editorial, 25 Nov 2006).
    In Prince George's, several County Council members seem to think there's no reason to reach into their own pockets for haircuts, gym memberships, rental cars, office decorations, family vacations or golf outings when they can whip out their county charge cards and reimburse the public in their own good time -- or not. . . . Mr. Harrington, who seems to use his county card whenever he's short on cash, has charged the county for dry cleaning, video rentals, a haircut and airplane tickets for his college-age son, among other expenses. . . . Prince George's County has had similar problems over the years -- in 2000, for instance, when council member Marilynn Bland, then a school board member, charged the county for a family trip to Disney World.
  • School board audit finds accounts abuse (Gazette, 21 Sep 2000).
    A draft audit of the Board of Education and upper level school system management indicates a double-standard between treatment of board officials and system employees, lax accounting methods, widespread abuse of individual expense accounts and contractual agreements, and weak controls over reimbursements. . . . Bland spent board funds on materials that could be construed as campaign related, mixed business and personal travel and chronically over-spent her limits.

    She purchased buttons and magnets with her name, photo and telephone number printed on them at a cost of $1,690. Although auditors characterized the items as potential campaign-related material, the items included her comments that they were not used to influence elections. The magnets were purchased two months before the March 2000 primary election, in which Bland was a candidate for her board seat.

    Bland was also chastised in the audit for a newsletter published and distributed by the school system three days before her primary election at a cost of $7,747.

    Although the school superintendent told Bland in a March 15 letter to reimburse the system for the expense, she has failed to do so, telling auditors the reimbursement came from the remnants of her board expense account for that fiscal year. The minutes of the executive session in which Bland was ordered to reimburse the charges are missing, auditors wrote. Henderson told auditors in an interview that Bland would be allowed to deplete her expense account to cover the charges, but must reimburse the system out of her own pocket for any amount that ran over her fiscal 2000 allotment.

    The audit also indicates Bland spent $15,502 through April of that fiscal year, $5,753 over her budget.

    Bland reimbursed the school system an unspecified portion of expenses incurred attending a 1998 business conference, which the member combined with a personal visit to Mississippi. The reimbursement, however, came two years later, after the audit had started.

    Bland also received a windfall of $1,373 for three years on top of the usual allotment because an accounting error apparently gave Bland her predecessor's stipend for serving as the board chair. Starting this year, the chair will not receive an additional stipend.

  • In School Board Race, the Issue Is Scandal (Post, 28 Oct 2000 (This link may require a PG library card)).
    The auditors said Bland spent $7,747 for a newsletter even though she had only $5,227 left in her account, but charged the school system for all of it. And she waited two years before repaying the system for personal purchases made on a school credit card during a trip to a professional conference in Florida, the audit noted.
The lack of integrity demonstrated by both of these Democratic politicians is well-known and well-documented

Nevertheless, the voters elected them and their council colleagues have rewarded their misbehavior.

Is this the best we can do in the way of elected officials?
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